A magnificent, exceptionally rare natural pearl two-strand necklace sold Thursday night at Christie’s for more than $3.1 million. Measuring from 8.5 to 16.3 mm the necklace established a new world record price for pearls.

“Truly exquisite, the matched, silvery white color with overtones of pink and the quality of lustre of these eighty-eight pearls is, most probably, unsurpassed,” Christie’s said in a statement.

A natural pearl is one that has never been touched by human hands until the oyster is opened. A strand of large matching natural pearls is an extremely rare find.

Christie’s Geneva sale of jewelry raised more than $30.37 million—the highest sale total in this category for more than five years.

Auctioneer and Director of Christie’s International Jewellery Department, François Curiel commented, “I have not felt such an atmosphere in the room for many years.”

A brilliant-cut, D colour, internally flawless diamond weighing 55.92 cts. was the top lot of the sale at Christie’s at $4.6 million, or $82,000 per ct.

JCK